Napa Leather

This entry was posted on January 7, 2014 by Bridget Muscat.

If you thought that only wine was the best thing to come out of Napa Valley, California, you should take look at the local history books. Napa leather is a specialized leather that originated in Napa, and is now found throughout the world as one of the softest animal hide materials around. Allett brings you the thinnest wallets for the discerning client, but the material used must also be high quality. That is why Allett uses Napa leather in their products.

California's Origin History

After California's Gold Rush peaked in the 1840s and 1850s, residents looked for other forms of products to buy and sell. With open land outside of San Francisco and Sacramento, Napa Valley became a beacon for raising sheep and cattle. Although prized for their dairy supply, livestock were also valued for their hides. Thick leather worked well for cowboy chaps, saddles and other key products. Farmers needed leather to protect their workers when working with the herds as well.

Calnap Tanning Company emerged as a top employer in Napa to work the leather to a useable material. From shoes to gloves, other companies popped up to fill the leather manufacturing void. Napa Glove & Safety, along with other businesses, thrived for years as they manufactured and sold Napa leather.

Why It Is So Special

Napa leather does not need to originate in California to be considered high quality. In fact, it is made on almost every continent now. What makes it so special is its texture. Most leathers come from animals that have slight imperfections, such as cuts or punctures along the skin. Leather makers simply dye these hides to disguise the imperfections. However, the dying process makes the leather tough, creating a rough texture seen on inexpensive consumer items.

Napa leather, in contrast, comes from a virtually blemish-free area on the animal's hide. The hide does not require dying to camouflage blemishes, allowing manufacturers to offer a high quality leather with a soft touch. If the manufacturer decides to dye the leather, the coloring process does not need to involve harsh chemicals.

This soft leather has a natural, open pore construction that absorbs colorants easily without harming the texture. Napa leather can be found in many colors, but still retains the same grain seen when kept in its natural hide color.

Keeping It Clean

Allett wants you to have a perfect product throughout its lifespan, but you must care for the leather to keep it looking new. Wipe the leather with a lint-free cloth to keep fingerprints and dust to a minimum.

Because it dries quickly, you can dab the leather with water if you have a particularly difficult stain. Allow the wallet to sit out to dry off. Do not place it in direct sunlight, however. You want to preserve the leather's color. Excessive, direct sunlight may lighten the color tone.

Allett's Wallet Perspective

Allett sews Napa leather to SoftTech nylon to create the world’s thinnest wallets. Allett only uses the best Napa leather that is inspected before manufacturing. Any blemishes make the leather difficult to work with, creating a poor product for you. Allett strives to make the best leather products for your everyday use. Allow Allett to lighten your load with a thin wallet made of strong, but attractive, Napa leather. You'll never want to use another leather wallet again.